Penn Foster Career School’s Basic Electronics Career Diploma Program consists of ten courses to help you gain the knowledge and skills relevant to the field. Electronics classes will cover topics such as the nature of electricity, circuit analysis, and alternating current, along with practical exercises in each unit for hands-on experience. Plus, graduates are eligible to sit for the Electronics Technicians Associations International (ETA) Certification Exam!
The program provides students with the necessary skills for entry into the field of electronics. Upon completion of the course, students will be eligible to sit for the Electronics Technicians Associations (ETA) International Certification Exam.
Upon completion of the program, students will be able to...
In this introduction to basic electronics, you'll start with an orientation to online learning. This will help you to identify important tools and study aids to assist you in completing your online coursework.
In this course, you'll learn all about the nature of electricity, starting with the operation of a simple circuit. You'll learn about the dangers and benefits of static electricity and study the flow of electricity as you learn the difference between direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC).
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In this course, you'll learn all about conductors and resistors. In the first lesson, you'll learn about the conductors that connect circuits together and the types of insulation used to cover conductors. You'll also learn more about cells and batteries, the important storage devices used as both power supplies and backup power sources for many industrial devices and systems. Next, you'll learn about circuit analysis and Ohm's law. Circuit analysis is one of the fundamental jobs of an electrician or electronics technician. Ohm’s law will be used to identify the amount of current, voltage, or resistance that’s in a circuit. You'll also learn how to take basic meter readings in circuits and develop a basic understanding of the multimeter. Finally, you'll be able to practice what you've learned with some hands-on practical exercise activities.
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In this course, you'll learn all about electronic hardware and test equipment. In the first lesson, you'll learn more about using a basic multimeter, which can measure voltage, resistance, and current values in a circuit. You'll review basic circuit properties and concepts as well as the features, controls, and uses of both analog and digital VOMs. In the next lesson, you'll learn about electronics hardware. You'll study the connectors that join wire or cables to components, and you'll learn how to mount components to various types of circuit boards
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In this course, you'll learn all about passive and active electronic components. First, you'll learn about magnets and electromagnets, which are important components in industrial controls and automation devices. Next, you'll learn how capacitors and inductors operate in DC circuits, as they're used in many types of industrial power supplies, motor drive systems, and on most industrial electronics printed circuit boards.
Learning Aid: Electronics Practice Kit 4
In this course, you'll learn all about AC circuits. In the first lesson, you'll learn about the basic characteristics of alternating current and the values used to describe AC cycles. You'll then be presented with information on single-, split-, and three-phase AC current. Next, you'll learn about capacitors and how they function in AC circuits. In the following section, you'll learn how to calculate capacitive reactance and see how capacitors operate in series and parallel resistor/capacitor, or RC, circuits. Later in this course, you'll learn how inductors operate in AC circuits. You'll also learn about capacitors and how they function in AC circuits. You'll learn how to calculate the total capacitance of series- and parallel-connected capacitors as well as how to calculate capacitive reactance. Finally, you'll be able to practice what you've learned with some hands-on practical exercise activities.
Learning Aid: Electronics Practice Kit 5
In this course, you'll learn all about resonant circuits. In the first section, you'll learn how resistors, capacitors, and inductors are the basic building blocks of all electronic systems and how these building blocks behave when connected to form basic circuits. A resonant circuit is a special kind of reactive circuit in which the generator current and voltage are in phase. When a circuit is resonant, it may be used to either accept or reject a particular frequency or a band of frequencies. You'll learn about some of the applications of resonant circuits related to coupled circuits, traps, filters, and transmission lines. This lesson will give you the opportunity to review the maximum power transfer theorem, a number of design equations, and a few design applications. You'll also practice writing conjugate impedances. Finally, you'll be able to practice what you've learned with some hands-on practical exercise activities.
Learning Aid: Electronics Practice Kit 6
In this course, you'll learn all about advanced electronic components. In the first lesson, you'll learn about the process of converting AC voltages to DC voltages called rectification. You'll learn how different types of power supplies work, and you'll learn some of the important troubleshooting techniques that are used to keep them in operation.
Learning Aid: Electronics Practice Kit 7
In this course, you'll learn all about electronic sensors and devices. Electronic sensors are used to collect and process both physical and chemical information. Many institutions rely on electronic instruments to monitor and control thousands of processes. In this lesson, you'll learn how certain electronic components are used as sensors and as parts in instrumentation and control systems. You'll also learn about modulation and demodulation (or detection), which are two of the functions that make electronic communications both possible and practical. Later in this lesson, you'll get an in-depth view of amplification—specifically, the nature of amplification and various types of industrial amplifiers. An overview of electronics diagrams will prepare you to sketch, use, and interpret diagrams in your daily work. You'll be introduced to the basic controls and functions of an oscilloscope. Finally, you'll be able to practice what you've learned with some hands-on practical exercise activities.
Learning Aid: Electronics Practice Kit 8
In this course, you'll learn all about circuits and power supply systems. The first section covers audio frequency (AF), radio frequency (RF), and direct current (DC) signal transmission, placing emphasis on the types of transmission media that are suitable for industrial use. You'll learn about telephone, hardwired, fiber-optic, and sound systems. Next, you'll learn about oscillators, which are used in transmitters and receivers and have applications in virtually every type of electronic device. All electrical and electronic systems require a power source. You'll learn about some of the basic components and circuits that are used to produce DC power from available AC input sources. You'll also learn about voltage regulators and the operation of industrial power supplies. Finally, you'll be able to practice what you've learned with some hands-on practical exercise activities.
Learning Aid: Electronics Practice Kit 9
